PROSECUTORS have launched a legal bid to bring new charges against a man who was acquitted of murdering a 19-year-old student in the 1990s.

The Crown Office is using Double Jeopardy legislation to secure a retrial of Francis Auld over the death of Amanda Duffy in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.

Her body was found on waste ground there in May 1992.

Prosecutors want judges to set aside the acquittal of Auld from his original high court trial and try him again for the murder of Miss Duffy.

The Double Jeopardy (Scotland) Act 2011 sets out conditions where an accused can be retried for a crime in which they were previously acquitted.

Any retrial requires high court judges to give prosecutors permission to proceed against the accused. On Tuesday, a two day hearing into the case began. The press aren't able to report what was said during the hearing for legal reasons.

Proceedings are being heard by Lord Carloway, Scotland's most senior judge, Lord Bracadale and Lady Dorrian.